I suspect the problem is proby the cpu/board
ram either works or it doesn't
edit: its extremely rare on modern boards but it could be a case of this board not `liking` that brand of ram check the ram against the qmvl

is this a major problem? i dont seem to notice any FPS lag and Prime is running just fine. I know it sucks, but does it really make much difference?

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Ok, your RAM settings have nothing to do with it. Your processor isn't bad, neither is the board. Believe it or not, it's your CPU cooler that's the culprit.

So here goes my story:
Earlier this year I bought an AsRock Z68 Extreme 4 with the intent of putting a 3770k, 4x4GB Corsair XMS 3, 2 x 6950's, etc. For cooling I bought a Thermalright Venemous X.

At any rate, I put the rig together with all 4 sticks of RAM installed, fire it up and, just like you, got a 55 code.
So I strip the rig down; I pulled both video card (used onboard), left 1 stick of RAM in the first slot, then lo and behold the rig fires up and works just fine. Then I added 1 part at a time to see where my problem was. Put the video cards in, worked fine; added 1 stick of RAM, worked fine (so it was still running in single channel), added 1 more stick, which would've put two sticks into dual channel, code 55.
So thinking that my CPU may be bad, I took it out and put a 3570k in. Same exact result as the 3770k.
So at that point I was like WTF?!

Thinking that I had a bad board, I bought another one --an AsRock Z77 Extreme 6. Put the same components in it, same damn problem --Code 55. Tried all of the same stuff with this board, same result as the last.
So at that point, I thought to myself, it has to be the RAM that's bad. So I bought another 4x4GB Corsair Vengeance kit. When it arrived, I installed it, same damn result. So at that point I was seriously like

By this point I was thinking that AsRock was a piece of shit company that sells defective boards.
So with the Extreme 6, I pulled it out of the case and was testing it sitting on a table. I decided to get a 2500k to test with thinking that something may be wrong with the BIOS and IvyBridge CPU's.
However, all this swapping of components, I got sick of remounting the Venemous X so I decided to use the stock intel cooler.
As soon as I did that, everything seemed to work. Installed all of the RAM, works perfectly well; no code 55.

So obviously something to do with the Ven X was causing my problem. So I took a closer look at it, and paid extra close attention to where the cooler meets the board. Upon close inspection I noticed that the screws that slide in the backplate had an oblong metal base that protruded beyond the plastic of the base and would contact the board.

Then I looked at the back of the board where the cooler was mounted. Wouldn't you know it, the printed circuits run VERY close to the mounting holes.

Then when I traced the exact circuits that ran right next to the holes, guess where they lead? The memory slots. /facepalm.

When I looked very closely at how the base of the cooler sat, sure enough, it was bridging two or three circuits that run directly to the memory.
So just to verify that this indeed was the case, I went to my local hardware store and bought four 4mm thick rubber/teflon washers. Installed them between the Ven X base and the board; the system worked flawlessly.
Verified it on my z68 as well, both boards work perfectly.

This is why my EK block has teflon standoffs between both the backplate and the front of the motherboard. Give BlackOmega's idea a go, it could be a .20 cent solution. Mussels was alluding to the same solution.

This is why some of the X brackets that come with aftermarket coolers have a plastic sheet on it and some people take it off thinking its part of the packaging it comes it when ITS NOT. It is for these types of situations were the X clamp is close or could be touching other solder points

This is why some of the X brackets that come with aftermarket coolers have a plastic sheet on it and some people take it off thinking its part of the packaging it comes it when ITS NOT. It is for these types of situations were the X clamp is close or could be touching other solder points

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Yeah a lot of people mistake that plastic stuff for packaging. On the Ven X though, there was nothing there. I believe that once it's screwed together, it actually pulls the screws up and makes contact. I believe they're supposed to be recessed further.

1st of all I read someone said put the memory in slots 1 and 2. This not correct. They need to be in slots 2 and 4. Second, did you see if your memory is on the approves list from ASRock. The ram may be incompatable. Next up: is the ram working at default frequency? or was it XMP, or overclocked. So far you have been to vague.

1st of all I read someone said put the memory in slots 1 and 2. This not correct. They need to be in slots 2 and 4. Second, did you see if your memory is on the approves list from ASRock. The ram may be incompatable. Next up: is the ram working at default frequency? or was it XMP, or overclocked. So far you have been to vague.

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why not just download the manual from the site, thats what i do, reading the manual has reduced the amt of headaches for me when building a machine initially.

I put my RAM in all the slots possible. Each stick worked... but when I tried dual channel it would not boot error 55... I ran the RAM under frequency, increased voltage, as for compatibility it was not on the list. My next Mobo + RAM combo will be compatible as stated in the asrock manual

I put my RAM in all the slots possible. Each stick worked... but when I tried dual channel it would not boot error 55... I ran the RAM under frequency, increased voltage, as for compatibility it was not on the list. My next Mobo + RAM combo will be compatible as stated in the asrock manual

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Ok, you still did not clarify. Did the code 55 come up when the memory setting in the bios was on auto. You need to run the sticks in slots 2 and 4 only not other combos on the platform.